Latest news with #ChristopherWard
Fashion United
27-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
US tariffs drive deceptive spike in Swiss watch exports
Boosted by a surge in US demand, Swiss watch exports jumped by 18.2 percent in April 2025. However, this increase mainly masked the sector's deep concern about the new tariffs imposed by Washington. A cyclical surge linked to US trade policy The Swiss watch industry experienced a spectacular upturn in April 2025. According to data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), exports rose by 18.2 percent compared to the previous year. This dynamic was mainly driven by the US, the number one export market for Swiss watches, which saw its imports explode ahead of a major regulatory change. According to an AFP article published on May 27, 2025, Swiss watch exports to the US soared in April, jumping by 149.2 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. This exceptional peak was a direct consequence of fears surrounding the announced introduction of reciprocal tariffs of 31 percent by the US administration. Without these massive shipments to the US, the FH stressed that Swiss watch exports would actually have fallen by 6.4 percent in April, reflecting a mixed, even lacklustre, trend in other markets. Indeed, while exports edged up slightly to the UK (plus 1.6 percent), France (plus 4.8 percent) and Japan (plus 1.9 percent), they fell sharply to China (minus 30.5 percent) and Hong Kong (minus 22.8 percent). Since April 9, Swiss imports, including luxury watches, have been subject to a 31 percent tariff. This is part of a so-called 'trade reciprocity' policy initiated by the Trump administration. The result was a massive influx of orders placed in advance by US retailers, in order to build up stocks before the entry into force of this protectionist measure. 'This increase in exports is artificial: it's an anticipatory phenomenon, not a structural rebound in demand,' said an expert quoted by Reuters. Pressure on the US market With 4.37 billion Swiss francs of exports to the US in 2024, representing almost 17 percent of the sector's total, the American market is essential for Swiss watchmakers. The abruptness of the tariff increase caught an industry used to long cycles and relative commercial stability off guard. Brands fear a sharp fall in US demand, particularly for mid-range models, which are especially sensitive to price increases. While major players such as Rolex, Omega and Patek Philippe have brand power that allows them to adjust prices without losing customers, the situation is more strained for independent or emerging brands. 'We have no other choice but to pass on these 31 percent on our selling prices,' said the management of British brand Christopher Ward, in a message to its US customers, reported by the media outlet Hodinkee. Brands adapt urgently Faced with this new situation, some brands have already initiated tariff adjustments on their online shops and US distribution networks. For example, Rolex announced an increase of 3 percent to 5 percent on several references from mid-April, reports Watch Analytics. Other groups are seeking to circumvent tariff increases through logistical transfers or direct negotiations with their partners in the US. The context is reminiscent of the Sino-American trade tensions of the late 2010s, but here it takes an unprecedented turn for watchmaking, which has historically been little exposed to this type of measure. Diplomatic negotiations underway In response to these tensions, Switzerland has engaged in diplomatic negotiations with the US. In mid-May 2025, the president of the Swiss Confederation, Karin Keller-Sutter, and the minister of the economy, Guy Parmelin, met the US Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, and the Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, in Geneva, on the sidelines of negotiations with China. These discussions resulted in a 90-day pause in the application of tariffs, opening a window for a lasting solution. 'We are calling for a balanced solution. Swiss watchmaking must not become a collateral victim of trade disputes,' said a spokesperson for the FH to Fortune Europe. Potential long-term consequences to anticipate Despite the April peak, the sector anticipates a more uncertain second half of 2025, threatened with contraction. The rise in prices could also favour American or Asian brands, and even boost the North American second-hand market, which is already booming. The most agile brands could revise their establishment policy. For example, they could strengthen their local presence via assemblies or relocated distribution partnerships, similar to certain strategies already tested in the 2020s with China. A case to follow for the whole of European luxury This new protectionist episode is a reminder of recent tensions between Washington and the European Union, particularly over agri-food products, electric vehicles and strategic software. It illustrates the rise of a climate of commercial fragmentation that could affect, beyond Swiss watches, all European luxury industries heavily exposed to the US market: leather goods, haute couture, perfumery and jewellery. Negotiations between Brussels and Washington are strained, with a deadline set for July 9. After this deadline, the threat brandished by Donald Trump could materialise, with the introduction of massive tariffs on European imports. In a polarised and uncertain American electoral context, this tariff sword of Damocles is likely to be a lasting feature of the 2026 strategies of major European luxury groups, which sometimes generate up to 40 percent of their sales in the US. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Out of Control' Medical Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing on Residential Street, No Injuries Reported
A PennSTAR medical helicopter landed in the front yard of a residential property on May 19, a Penn Medical spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE All three crew members aboard the chopper were safe and medically evaluated, said the spokesperson The FAA is reportedly handling the investigation into the incidentAn "out of control" medical helicopter carrying three crew members made an emergency landing in a residential area in Pennsylvania, officials said. The incident occurred on the evening of Monday, May 19, in the vicinity of the 6000 block of Musket Road in Montgomery County, the Whitemarsh Township Police Department said in a Facebook post. 'Fortunately, all crew members are safe, and no injuries have been reported at this time,' the police's statement read. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, May 20, a Penn Medical spokesperson said a PennSTAR medical helicopter, owned and operated by Metro Aviation, landed in the front yard of a residential property. The chopper was carrying the three crew members at the time. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The helicopter was traveling from Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia to Wings Field in Blue Bell to refuel before heading to Chester County Hospital to pick up a patient, the spokesperson added. 'The helicopter landed safely and there were no injuries to individuals on the ground,' the spokesperson's statement read. All crew members are safe and were evaluated at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. No further details are available at this time.' Whitemarsh Township Police Chief Christopher Ward described the incident as a miracle, NBC affiliate WCAU reported. "The pilot did an amazing job, from all accounts,' Ward said. 'As out of control as it was, he controlled it into an area and was able to put it down without striking — luckily for us — any homes, any vehicles or any people." Whitemarsh Township Police said it is asking residents to contact them if they come across debris connected to the incident. In an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it will investigate the incident. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Medical helicopter emergency lands in Whitemarsh Twp.; All 3 occupants safe
The Brief A medical helicopter had to emergency land in Montgomery County Monday night. Multiple crews arrived at the scene in Whitemarsh Township. Officials say all three occupants inside the helicopter made it out safely. WHITEMARSH TWP., Pa. - A medical helicopter made an emergency landing in Montgomery County Monday evening. What we know Montgomery County Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer, At 7:43 p.m., police received reports of a helicopter crash in the Cannon Hill neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers located a PennSTAR 1 helicopter on the property of a home on the 6000 block of Musket Road. Police say the medical helicopter was traveling from Philadelphia and returning to base. No patients were aboard the flight at the time of the emergency landing. The three crew members who were on board made it out safely. They were taken to a hospital via medics for precautionary check-ups. White Marsh Township Police Department Chief Christopher Ward said there were no injuries reported to any person or property on the ground. Multiple crews arrived at the scene. "We got very lucky tonight. It's a miracle that the pilot did an amazing job. From all accounts, as out of control as it was, he controlled it into an area and was able to put it down without striking. Luckily for us, any homes, any vehicles or any people," said Chief Ward. What's next The FAA is investigating the cause of the incident. What you can do Officials believe most of the plane's parts are at the scene. However, if anyone in the area spots helicopter debris, they are advised to leave it alone and contact 9-1-1.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
E2E 100 International: Sarah Baumann on Christopher Ward London's Visionary Leadership and Global Expansion in the Luxury Watch Industry
As COO, how do you balance operational efficiency with the company's mission to create exceptional, affordable luxury watches while supporting global expansion? The unique thing about Christopher Ward is that the business was built from day one on operational efficiency and creating exceptional, affordable watches. It's at the core of our business model and the reason why, in 2004, Mike France and Peter Ellis launched the brand as a DTC business (when nobody else thought this was an opportunity). We've also always had a different approach to people and partnerships. This has driven our approach to innovation and enabled our value model of transparently charging a 3x markup. Our teams thrive on the challenge of taking on the most complex watch-design challenges within the cost parameters we set for ourselves. We're not just making watches for the fun of it – we're making watches that stretch and challenge us because that's what motivates everyone here. 'What are we going to do next?', 'How can we improve this?', 'How can we do something new?'. The Bel Canto (launched in 2022 – a sonnerie au passage complication or chiming watch) epitomised this. It also forced (and allowed) us to think differently about our supply chain. It proved that if you have a great product, it is the catalyst for global expansion. Innovation has been central to Christopher Ward's. Can you share how the company approaches product innovation, and how this has contributed to its international growth? We do not stay in any tram lanes with the kind of watch we are limited to, and our independence drives this. Very few companies of our size and origin would even contemplate creating their own movements due to the complexity and cost. We've always had the fundamental drive that we should make incredible mechanical watches and add our 'Christopher Ward' twist. We have a vision to create quality watches (both from an engineering and design perspective) that astonish people and allow people to enjoy and appreciate wearing a mechanical watch. This is what drives us and our New Product Development team. They love that challenge and the ethos of the company. It's much harder to think about how to design a watch like The C12 Loco with a free-sprung balance wheel. How we will redesign the movement architecture and dial to sell for £4,000? This takes precedent over 'making a free sprung balance wheel for whatever it costs'. As ever, necessity creates invention and we have brilliant people who think about nothing else. People all over the world understand and love our approach and our watches. The quality, beauty and ingenuity of our watches speak for themselves, and our community of watch enthusiasts and collectors get this. They are such a tight-knit global community, but transparency, integrity and quality is everything. They also really appreciate the freshness of our approach and that we are doing things differently. We are the antithesis of the traditional Swiss watch industry or traditional luxury brands – we are welcoming, down-to-earth and openly share our passion for watches. No judgement, no opacity, no mystique – we love our community and involve them and talk to them. Looking ahead, how do you plan to continue expanding Christopher Ward's global presence? Are there any specific regions or markets that are a focus for the company in the near future? We are very much led by our community and how our 'Ward' of mouth spreads. One of the early adopters of Christopher Ward, responsible for revealing the quality of our watches, was in Tasmania. We've also had to deliver a watch to Antarctica! So our growth has always been organic. The US is now our biggest market, so that continues to be a big focus for us. We opened a US showroom in September in Dallas, which has been doing phenomenally well under the leadership of our North American Brand Director, Mike Pearson, who is incredibly well-respected within the watch industry. There are countries and regions that are very important for a watch brand, so we follow our customers and watch enthusiast communities very closely. They don't automatically have to be the largest markets – for example, we've recently partnered with Time+Tide Australia, where people can get 'hands-on' with the watches. We also regularly attend big watch fairs around the world and are constantly looking for new regions to bring watches and brand stories. Sustainability and ethical business practices are increasingly important in today's global market. How does Christopher Ward incorporate sustainability and responsibility in its international operations? Sustainability has been at the heart of Christopher Ward since day one. We have always donated 2% of sales to charity partners (even before we were making a profit). We have long-standing relationships with the Blue Marine Foundation, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and Maidenhead's Alexander Devine Foundation. Our partnership with Everton FC is heavily linked to Everton in the Community, and there are a host of other small charities, who struggle for funding and grants, that we help get off the ground. We are always looking for new opportunities to give back, as we believe it is the right thing to do. Our Supply Chain Director is passionate about ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), visiting our suppliers regularly to ensure that they are as sustainable and ethical as we expect, seizing opportunities to do things better, where possible. For example, we don't sell alligator straps any more as there are better, kinder alternatives that wear just as well and look just as good. There is always a lot more to do, and as a small business, it's obviously harder from a resource perspective, but there are always ways we feel we can make a small difference. Mike France also co-founded the Alliance of British Watch and Clock-makers to help support and boost the many smaller and new micro-brands we are seeing develop. The resurgence of the watch-making industry in Britain is very exciting. Watch design and watchmaking in the UK is incredible, but we need talent and funding – the Alliance helps support young people getting into the industry with bursaries and job opportunities. What drives you personally as COO of Christopher Ward, and how do you stay inspired and motivated as the company continues to grow globally? It's not hard to stay motivated as you see the impact of our watches and the community we have! Our customers are incredible, and the watch enthusiast community is unlike any other I've been part of, despite working across many different brand sectors previously. We're very close to our customers, and that feeds the excitement and energy. We will never get blasé about people's reactions when they discover us as a brand, or see a watch for the first time! The best days are when we get to meet and talk to them. From a personal perspective, I made a decision ten years ago that I only wanted to work in high-growth, creative businesses. I love the buzz and energy of the team in a business that is on the rise – and from the vision and entrepreneurialism of a founder-led business, because everyone is doing what they believe in and love, and that is the foundation and environment for success. The critical thing is for us to continue making watches that surprise us, stretch us, astonish us and to get them in the hands of more people. That drive runs throughout everyone in the business. I will always recall meeting our Design Director, Adrian Buchmann, for the first time. I asked him what his favourite Christopher Ward watch was. His response: 'the next one'. I think that sums up my motivation and inspiration now, too, especially knowing our NPD pipeline and all the opportunities that lie ahead to grow the business. We believe we have the potential to be a sizeable player in the watch industry, and that is very motivating. You introduced the in-house movement, Calibre SH21, which is rare for a young brand. What did that decision represent in terms of the company's identity and long-term ambitions? This was back in 2015, and it was indeed extremely rare for a brand of our size and youth to embark on something that takes years and significant sums of money. As ever, these innovations and investments aren't planned out years in advance, but we saw an opportunity. Our technical director at the time had an idea that he wanted to realise and had some very lateral ways about how we could reduce development time and cost to make it viable. SH21 was born and was a statement of intent from the brand. It showed we were serious about watch-making and horology, not just a brand that could design and source watches. It set us on a more ambitious path. From a long-term business perspective, it was a key moment that has unleashed what we call internally, call our 'Atelier collection' – or our creative playground! A number of different watches, new movements, modules and calibres have followed – all developed and designed by our in-house team. Over the last 5 years, this has led to the Bel Canto (our iconic chiming watch), the Moonphase (a perpetual moonphase with accuracy for 128 years), The Twelve X (a phenomenal skeletonised watch) and our latest launch – The C12 Loco. We created the CW-003, an entirely new movement for The C12 Loco, which again, is very rare. This in-house calibre, with a free sprung balance wheel, a power reserve of 144 hours and an accuracy of -0/+7 seconds per day is a remarkable achievement. We will always create beautifully designed, high-quality watches like the Trident range, Twelve or Sealander at high volume, but creating more pieces that showcase our imagination and technical ability is a core part of our identity too.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
‘Drip-feed': Outrage in Qatar strip-search row
A barrister representing five women who tried to sue Qatar Airways over invasive and degrading strip searches at Doha Airport has attacked the 'drip-feed' approach of the airline, questioning how the case could be dismissed with 'unsatisfactory' evidence. The comments emerged during an appeal hearing lodged by the group of women – who sued Qatar Airways, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and airport operations company MATAR for damages – on Monday some four years after the October 2020 incident sparked international outrage. On the evening of October 2 that year, a newborn baby was discovered inside a rubbish bin in a cubicle at Doha's Hamad International Airport. The discovery sparked an investigation by police from the Ministry of Interior of Qatar (MOI) in an attempt to locate the baby's mother. The five women were on-board a Qatar Airways flight from Sydney to Hamad International Airport when police ordered all women on the flight to disembark. Four of the women were required to undergo 'intimate and invasive' medical examinations – conducted by a nurse in an ambulance on the tarmac – to determine if they had just given birth. They sued Qatar Airways, the QCAA and MATAR for damages over alleged 'unlawful physical contact', false imprisonment and assault – alleging the QCAA owed a duty of care to avoid them suffering harm while on the premises of Doha Airport. Last year, the Federal Court dismissed the women's application. During an appeal hearing on Monday, the court was told the ambulance incidents were 'compensable' under the Montreal Convention. Barrister Christopher Ward SC said a suggestion there was a 'lack of evidence' against nurses being under the supervision of MATAR was wrong. Dr Ward said it was apparent Qatar Airport staff 'knew what was happening' well before the aircraft's pushback and return on the night. 'The evidence in this case is so far not started, let alone incomplete,' he told the court, noting much of the evidence so far had come from affidavits filed by the applicants. 'There is, as of yet, no true evidence before the courts.' Dr Ward referred to Qatar Airways 'resisting' the production of some evidence, including statements from the prosecution's office in Qatar that were discovered in local press reporting. He told the court it was not a case of the women being 'voluntary parties' or responsible for what happened. 'These events happened … where they were under the control of the airway, they were subject to direction and control,' he said. 'They did as they were told. It appears what occurred in Qatar was unlawful. 'That doesn't change much, but it does mean the resistance to production of what actually occurred is significant. 'It is clear there is a treasure trove of material available in Qatar, likely but not certain to be under control of MATAR.' The court was told one of the women escorted off the plane by an air hostess questioned if it was a 'hostage situation' or 'terror attack'. She was told not to be scared by the same hostess, Dr Ward said. Dr Ward told the court there was a significant, substantial and material prejudice to the applicants who were 'shut out' of the court's interlocutory process that would 'allow production of the trove of documents' related to the case. 'The decision has proceeded on an unsatisfactory assumption … on an unsatisfactory evidentiary basis,' he said. The court was told the respondents were denying access to much of the material in a 'drip-feed' manner. Dr Ward said there were 'substantial' questions of fact at the heart of the matter, including the level of knowledge held by employees or officers of the airline and MATAR. The hearing is continuing. In his judgment dismissing the application last year, Justice John Halley found the police operation was conducted off the aircraft and was not headed by an airline employee. The women alleged 'armed and unarmed persons in dark uniforms' had directed them off the plane – characterising these uniformed people as 'agents or employees or persons akin or analogous to employees' of the QCAA'. Justice Halley said there were no material facts provided to advance this claim. 'Moreover, no material facts are pleaded and no particulars are provided in the (claim) of the alleged authorisation by the QCAA of the tortious acts or of the alleged negligent supervision of MATAR,' he said. 'In the absence of such material facts and particulars, it is difficult to see how the claims for assault, battery and false imprisonment against the QCAA could succeed.'
